


Tapestry (2010)

by JennyB



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Community: valentine_smut, Deus Ex Machina, Multi, Past Relationship(s), Roughness, Threesome - M/M/M, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-13
Updated: 2010-02-13
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:39:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7038775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a supposedly routine mission, Hakkai is slowly coming unglued, and Gojyo is powerless to help him.  Only through remembering their ties to the past can they hope to continue in the present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tapestry (2010)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [2light4dark](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=2light4dark).



> This was written for the 2010 Valentine Smut challenge, a Saiyuki-themed writing community on Dreamwidth.
> 
> My requestor asked for 'threads', which of course led me down a more figurative path.

_Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides._  
~Lao Tzu

* * *

Gojyo groaned softly as he sat up, idly rubbing the decent sized goose egg on the back of his head as he patted his coat pockets for his cigarettes. "What the _fuck_ just happened?" he mused aloud as he pulled out the slightly crushed (but still good!) package, sparked one up, and inhaled a deep lungful of smoke. One minute, he and Hakkai had been driving to a nearby village to investigate a tip from one of the locals, and the next, he'd been sent flying by... _something_. "Lazy-assed Buddha-thumper," he groused as he took another haul off his cigarette. "Next time the fucking monk can run his own damned errands." He licked his lips and rubbed at his temples - he had the mother of all headaches, and he hoped like hell that Hakkai had some aspirin somewhere. He frowned as he looked around and saw no trace of the other. "Ne, Hakkai?" When he received no answer, he shrugged and figured that the healer had just wandered off to take a whiz. After all, he didn't _sense_ anything dangerous. Stretching out his legs in front of him, he leaned back against the tree to smoke, only to start in surprise a moment later when he heard a shrill 'Kyuu!' and felt himself being batted about the head by a pair of white leathery wings. "The fuck?"

He managed to push Hakuryuu away from him, but the little white dragon was undaunted and came back at him, obviously quite upset about something. And when Gojyo parried his movements, the animal grabbed his sleeve in his mouth and tugged. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Gojyo demanded as he scowled, and he wished he had Hakkai's knack for speaking to the thing. "If I go with you, will you calm down?" When he received a chirp in response, he nodded and got to his feet, all the while watching the dragon circle him in obvious distress. Flicking away his heater, he asked, "Is it Hakkai? Is something wrong with Hakkai?" When Hakuryuu squawked and flew off, the kappa's heart sank and he quickly followed. About thirty metres away, he stopped at a small, razed clearing, his eyes widening at what he saw. There were several very large - and very dead - youkai there. Gojyo couldn't accurately count how many, as the bodies looked as though they had been literally torn apart. And in the middle of the area was Hakkai. He was on his knees, his head bowed forward with his hands pressed against his temples. And he was breathing quite heavily. "Ne, Hakkai? Are you - oh _shit_!" It was then that the hanyou noticed the long, crimson-stained claws on the other, and despite Hakuryuu's protestations, he started to slowly back away lest he become the next target.

He wasn't quick enough.

As soon as he'd heard his name, Hakkai was on his feet, his body crouched in a fighting stance while narrowed, mismatched eyes focused completely on Gojyo. Still panting, his lips drew back in a slight sneer to reveal the four long incisors. And he watched the other like a hawk.

The kappa took another step back, and when he did, Hakuryuu was there, once again smacking him with his wings and putting up one hell of a fuss. Again, he managed to disentangle himself from the little dragon and bat him away. "Fucking cut it out! You actually _want_ me to go in there? Are you crazy? You've heard him warn us against approaching him when he's like that!" When Hakuryuu continued to jabber angrily in his face, he rolled his eyes. "Fuck, fine! But you'd better be willing to haul my mangled ass back to Sanzo if something goes wrong!" He approached the clearing again, a spike of nervousness running through him when he saw Hakkai shift his weight a little, as if to pounce. He held up his hands and tried to smile reassuringly. "Ne, Hakkai? What happened? Where are your limiters, huh?" He chuckled a bit. "Maybe you should put them back on, yeah?" He wasn't all _that_ surprised when the other didn't reply. After all, he'd seen Hakkai like that once before, and as he recalled, the demon hadn't been one for a lot of idle chat then, either. He took a step into the clearing, only to nearly pass out as a shrill sound echoed loudly in his ears, and he felt an overwhelming, crushing pain in every part of his body. Somehow, he managed to step back, and as everything stopped, he was overcome with the sudden desire to puke. His chest heaving as he tried to get his breathing back under control, he bowed his head forward - making the mistake of taking his eyes off of Hakkai.

Moments later, something small and solid hit him in the side, sending him stumbling a few steps to the right - just as a massive blast of chi obliterated the spot where he'd been standing. Crimson eyes wide, he patted his body down to make sure he was _truly_ alright before glancing up at Hakuryuu. The animal had pushed him out of the way and was once again scolding him. His gaze shifted to Hakkai, who smiled caustically for a moment before dropping down to one knee and wrapping his arms around his torso. "Shit. Whatever's in there, it's hurting him." Raising his voice a little, he called, "Hakkai! Come on, man! You've got to come out here!" He ran a hand through his hair in aggravation when the brunet only glowered at him, his body trembling noticeably now. "Fuck. _Fuck_!" He loosed a frustrated growl and lit up another cigarette, hoping to maybe think up a plan to help the other out. His break was short-lived, for within moments, Hakuryuu was in his face again and chirping wildly. "I _can't_!" he shouted at the dragon, too annoyed to care how ridiculous he looked having an argument with Hakkai's pet. "As soon as I step foot in that area, something weird happens, and I can barely stay conscious! Don’t you think I'd have done something by now if I could? Stupid parrot! If you can do so much better, _you_ go get him! Fuck, we all know how pathetic I am when it comes to this shit!" He snorted. "At least I only have to look like a loser in front of the car. If Sanzo were here, he'd think it was his fucking birthday or something."

Hakuryuu gave a reproachful chirp, and then there was an intense burst of white light, but instead of Jeep, a tall, regal-looking humanoid stood where the dragon had been. Turning to glance at Gojyo, his bi-coloured eyes slightly narrowed, the other snorted softly in disgust. "Again, he puts himself on the line for you, and like always, you do nothing."

Crimson eyes widened in shock for a moment, though he quickly recovered as the sting of the other's words sparked off a sense of indignation in the kappa. "Hey, fuck you, Buddy! Who the hell do you -"

"My name is Gojun. Dragon King of the Western Seas." Ignoring the hanyou for the time being, he reached into the pocket of his immaculate white duster and withdrew three silver clips, which he held in an open hand toward Hakkai.

Gojyo watched the other in interest, taking note of the white, almost iridescent skin and the long, white braid that hung straight down the other's back. After a moment, his eyes flicked up to the two small horns at the crown of the dragon king's head. "This is too fucked up," he mused to himself, and when he saw Hakkai take an interest in Gojun, he called, "Yo! Do you really think you're going to be able to get those on him that easily?"

Though his eyes never left Hakkai's, Gojun did snort softly as he shook his head. "Right now? Probably not. And I wouldn't anyway, even if I could."

"Why the fuck not?"

The regent huffed somewhat impatiently. "Idiot. If I did that to him right now, in the state he's in, the shock to his body from him reverting back would be like him going from full speed to a dead stop. He needs to come back a bit, first."

"Huh?"

By this time, Hakkai had gotten back to his feet, and had taken a few steps toward the dragon. "We'll finish this discussion in a few minutes," Gojun called to Gojyo, and he, in turn, took a few steps toward Hakkai, seemingly unaffected by whatever was in the clearing.

"You _will_ give me my limiters now," the brunet demanded with no small amount of hostility. "If you don't, I'll simply take them from your corpse."

Gojun smirked at the comment, and he briefly licked his upper lip. "You're welcome to try," he remarked as he slipped the clips back into his pocket and crouched into a ready stance.

The answer seemed to only irritate the demon, and with a growl, he attacked with his chi, his ire increasing when the dragon dodged. He continued to attack in that manner, growing ever more frustrated at his inability to hit the other, and finally, with a feral snarl, he pounced, fangs and claws at the ready as he tackled the dragon.

Gojun seemed able to anticipate Hakkai's moves, and when the brunet came at him, he rolled with the attack, his tough skin able to parry the brunt of the demon's claws, his own actions equally as ruthless as his free hand sought to pin one of Hakkai's wrists. The fight was fast and ferocious, relying more on teeth and talons than any actual battle skill. When the dust finally settled, Hakkai was pinned, Gojun's claws around his throat and pressing lightly against his jugular, while the dragon was bound in soft, feathery vines, four two-inch fingernails embedded snugly just below his ribs. The fingers of their other hands were twined tightly, their mouths pressed together in a passionate embrace. 

"Gojun..." the brunet whispered, and after a few moments, Hakkai seemed to still, his fingers relaxing slightly and the vines loosening just a little. 

"That's right, my Beloved," Gojun soothed as he eased away, his mouth hovering just over the other's. "Our ties are still strong. It will be alright. I promise you." He smiled a little and licked a small smear of crimson from his lower lip as he released his hold on Hakkai's throat and gently sifted his fingers through the sweat-dampened chestnut tresses.

Gojyo, who had been standing mutely and gaping at the whole exchange, gave his head a shake. "What the _fuck_ is going on? Who the fuck are you, why are you calling him your beloved, and what the hell did you do to him?"

Gojun chuckled softly, and he lightly ran the tip of a clawed finger along the curve of Hakkai's cheek, and over his brow, smiling a little at the closed eyes and the almost-normal breathing rate. "Dragon's blood has calming, almost sedating properties. I just gave him some so we could talk. After all, I suppose I do owe you a few answers," he replied, and he turned his head toward the fuming hanyou, though he never moved away from Hakkai. "In answer to your earlier question, he's been affected by the Minus Wave. For some reason, this area is a concentrated hot spot of that negative energy, and it's trying to take him. If he puts on his limiters now, he could be lost forever."

"Bullshit."

The dragon scowled irritably. "Charming. Be silent and listen for once in your life. For someone who claims to love him, you certainly aren't very in tune with him. He felt the energy and could sense the impending youkai ambush, and he pushed you away so you wouldn't get hurt."

Gojyo rubbed the lump on the back of his head even as he felt a mortified heat creep into his cheeks at his own complacency. "Yeah, well...how the hell would you know?"

"I was there, remember? As I told you, my name is Gojun. 'Hakuryuu' is just the name he gave to me, as he doesn't remember me. Not consciously, anyway. When I was put on the earth, I remembered everything about him, and though it took some time, I did find him eventually. The gods granted me the power to transform, but I may only take _this_ form once. Now my time is up." He smiled as he looked down at Hakkai, and he lightly caressed over his skin again. "There were many times when I was so tempted to, simply so I could hold you, but I didn't dare, lest I have to leave you. But, if that is my destiny - to forget you until the next turn of the wheel - then I intend to make the most of what time I have left with you."

"Hey!" Gojyo interjected. "Look, not that I haven't seen my share of crazy shit, but so you know, we're sort of together. And while I don't mind sharing, I don't really feel like sharing with a, uh...you. No offense, but doing it with animals? Not my thing, dude."

Gojun's hold tightened on Hakkai, and he glowered for a moment at the redhead. "Crass as ever, I see. And I'm no more an animal than he is!" he added waspishly. "For your information, a long time ago, we shared him. It was a good arrangement, given some of his more unusual desires and somewhat insatiable... _appetites_." The dragon king smiled a bit at that, exposing the tip of a fang. "Looking at our situation now, it seems that's something that hasn't changed with time. Nor one I expect to."

The expression looked quite out of place on his face, and Gojyo found the whole conversation a bit surreal and slightly off-putting - especially since he was now mentally revisiting Hakkai's relationship with his 'pet' and wondering if Gojun had been secretly getting off on the cuddling and caressing. That thought actually pissed him off a bit - he'd had to work his ass off for the healer's affection! But then again, Hakkai _had_ fucked his sister - how much of a bigger step down the deviant path was this, really? Still, he couldn't help but wonder... "So, we shared him, ne? Huh. And he was ok with that?" 

The regent arched a brow. "Who do you think it was that suggested it?"

The hanyou just gaped, and then bowed his head for a moment to light up a cigarette. "And what about you and me? Did we ever, uh...you know, just the two of us?" He smiled lewdly, letting his gaze rove over the other's form. Gojun was a pompous ass, but he wasn't ugly by any stretch of the imagination.

Gojun smirked. "On occasion."

A very smug expression settled on the kappa's face. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. Not too many people can resist wanting a piece of this..."

The dragon king laughed, and fixed the other with his oddly coloured eyes. "You misunderstand," he replied. "Back then, you were our _subordinate_. In every sense of the word. Though sometimes, if we were feeling generous, we'd let you have your way with us."

"What?"

Gojun nodded, and then his expression turned slightly wistful as he traced along the vine pattern on Hakkai's face. "For as much as I loved him, I could never tell him so. Not in so many words. My people would have never accepted him, and I couldn't bear to hurt him in that way, so I gave him my soul, and my vow to always be there for him. It was the best that I could do for him. And he gave me his in return, my Beloved. But you - you're the one he gave his heart to. The one who could love him completely the way I never could." He felt the vines binding him start to wither, and after breaking himself free, he tenderly picked the brunet up in his arms, once again ignoring Gojyo as he carried the demon a fair distance away from the clearing and the source of his discomfort. "You should feel better here," the dragon said as he very carefully set Hakkai back down, then sat next to him, once again lightly stroking through his hair. He smiled a bit when he felt the other start to stir.

"You'd better get those limiters on him before he wakes up," Gojyo warned. "Otherwise, you're just going to go through more of the same shit again." He nodded to where the dragon's duster was stained with blood.

Gojun smiled a bit wider. "Not yet. He needs more time." A full-blown grin curved his lips upward when he saw the mismatched eyes blink open, and he actually managed a small chuckle when he heard the low growl from the other. "Shh, Beloved. There's no need for that. Not when we can find a much better outlet for that anger, ne?" With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the brunet's, loosing a soft growl of his own when Hakkai responded. "Careful," he whispered to the demon as he sat up just enough to wipe his bitten lip with the back of his hand. "Take too much and you'll be asleep again."

Gojyo watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as demon and dragon battled for control of the kiss, and when Hakkai hooked a leg around Gojun's shin and flipped them to where he was on top, he reflexively took a step back. "You'd better be careful. He's dangerous like that."

Gojun looked up at the dark smirk, so reminiscent of his ancient lover, and he laughed at the way the brunet had his arm raised, as if to slash him with his claws. "You think so? You should have seen him back then." His hands began to caress over Hakkai's torso, and he breathed deeply as the familiar musculature moved beneath his fingers. On his next pass over that lissom body, he let his hands slip beneath Hakkai's tunic, only to let out a pleasured purr when they were effectively grabbed and pinned up over his head.

Gojyo winced slightly at the force with which Hakkai grabbed the dragon, though when the regent seemed unfazed by the action and even seemed to _like_ it, he shrugged. "Your funeral, man. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Gojun snickered at that, only to groan softly as Hakkai leaned forward to lick along the length of his ear. "Mm...what a glorious way to die. If you'd rather just watch, that's fine. You often did. But you may join us if you'd like. Ah!" He muttered a low curse in the language of the dragons as he felt keen teeth graze along the sensitive flesh. Tenpou - and now Hakkai - had been the only ones to ever make him lose his composure like that.

Gojyo didn't reply. He merely closed his eyes and tried to ignore the wanton throb that pulsed through his body, and the way his cock was already hard and aching - and they hadn't even done anything yet! Watching Hakkai get off was a somewhat secret fantasy of his, and watching him do it in his truest form and with the attractive dragon king (who was inviting him to join them, no less!) was quickly blowing his mind. He heard the soft ripping of cloth, and as his eyes slid open, he saw that Hakkai had torn open Gojun's duster, and was currently in the process of trailing his tongue over the pale, alabaster flesh. Swallowing thickly, Gojyo moved a little so he could get a better view of what was going on, and he nearly came in his pants when the brunet bit a nipple, eliciting the most erotic sounding roar from the dragon. _Fuck me, I am a pervy kappa,_

Hakkai chuckled lowly, the sound dark as he met Gojun's eyes, and then he bit again, a little lower on his torso. Slowly, he worked his way down the dragon's body, leaving a trail of similar-looking marks, and when he reached his belt, he slashed it with his claws, and then unfastened the dragon's pants. When he pulled Gojun's cock free, he gave it a long, languid lick from base to tip, and then his expression turned decidedly wolfish. He rocked forward so that he could kiss the other once more, and then he murmured a low, "Wait..." Suddenly, he was on his feet, and his gaze was fixed on Gojyo. His eyes narrowed slightly as he gave a slight sniff of the air, and then his grin widened. Meeting the crimson, he crooked a finger and then pointed to the spot in front of him, though when the kappa seemed to hesitate, he arched a brow and said, "I won't ask a second time."

Gojyo's eyes widened a little, and he shivered as a small thrill of fear ran through him at the command. Somehow, he managed to put one foot in front of the other, and he closed the distance between them, feeling both terrified and turned on at the same time. He stopped in front of the brunet, and after licking his lips nervously, he said, "What do - mmph!" He was silenced by a pair of lips being crushed to his, and a tongue ruthlessly plundering his mouth. At some point, Hakkai managed to wrap a fistful of hair around his hand and he tugged none-too-gently, tipping the hanyou's head back farther so that he could mark him. The redhead honest-to-fuck _whimpered_ in pleasure at the rough treatment, and his dick _ached_ for release. Usually he was the one taking the initiative, but he was finding he quite liked the unrestrained, aggressive side of his lover.

Hakkai wrapped his one arm possessively around the hanyou, his other hand caressing over the rigid bulge in the kappa's jeans. He looked down at Gojun and said, "Assist me." He purred low in his throat when the dragon shifted to his knees and reached for Gojyo's zipper. Through half-lidded eyes he watched as the kappa's cock was released, and he nipped along the hanyou's earlobe as he watched his lover's length slide slowly into the other's throat. He chuckled softly when Gojyo cursed, his breath further teasing the kappa as it puffed softly across his sensitive throat, and he growled sensually, "Come before me and I'll kill you."

Gojyo swallowed thickly. He knew better than to ask if the brunet was serious about his threat, and the resulting adrenaline rush at knowing he was in mortal peril seemed to be pushing all sorts of undiscovered kink buttons. He moaned lowly when Hakkai returned to his earlier mark, though when he felt the four sharp claws drag slowly across his stomach, leaving a series of stinging red welts, he uttered a strangled groan and arched his hips back, quickly grabbing the base of his dick to hold stave off his orgasm. "Oh shit..."

Hakkai almost _giggled_ at that, the sound dark and slightly creepy given his state of mind. "Mm, good boy," he drawled, and turning his mismatched eyes to Gojun, he licked his lips then pounced him, tackling him onto his back as he kissed him deeply, his claws pressed slightly into the other's sides as he stole the taste of the hanyou from the dragon. Easing back, he snaked his way down the other's body, running his tongue around the head of the dragon's cock as he pulled Gojun's boots and trousers off. Meeting the oddly coloured eyes, he saw the wanton look in the regent's gaze, and with a lascivious grin, he grasped the dragon's hips, arching his own forward as he sheathed himself inside the other. Barely giving the dragon time to adjust, he began a hard, fast rhythm, punctuating his thrusts with harsh nips along his collarbone and almost gentle sweeps of his tongue.

On being reconnected with his lover, the last of Gojun's rigid restraint snapped, and he loosed a dark growl of his own as the demon frantically fucked him. After a few moments, his legs wrapped around Hakkai's waist as he arched his body up, using the momentum to flip them so that he was on top and riding the brunet's cock. Sparing a glance toward a still-hard and obviously pained Gojyo, he saw Hakkai's lips quirk up in a smirk - a look the regent matched. "Kneel down here," he breathlessly instructed the redhead, and when the kappa knelt between Hakkai's legs, he chuckled. "If I recall correctly, you always were a fan of my _flexibility_." Arching back, he licked around the head of the kappa's dick. "And my tongue always did drive you mad." Teasingly, he flicked out the tip of his forked tongue, and then began to suck the hanyou off, his hands grasping lightly to Gojyo's hips to pull him up a bit and encourage him to move a little.

"Oh fucking hell!" the kappa groaned when he felt that oddly-shaped and slightly textured tongue expertly running over his cock. Add in the slight graze of fangs and the unique position, and Gojyo had to admit that this was, arguably, the best blow job of his life. His eyes lidded slightly as he watched Gojun's slick length jut up in the air every time he impaled himself on Hakkai's shaft, and the look of pure, unguarded lust in the brunet's eyes had him hovering on the edge of release. "Oh, please," he whispered, knowing that between the dragon's ministrations and the vision in front of him, he wasn't going to last much longer.

It was Hakkai who came first. Sitting up and holding the dragon king tight against him, he put a series of love bites along the alabaster flesh as his cock pulsed with his release. A split second later, Gojyo tumbled over the edge, his hips jerking slightly as his spend splashed against the roof of Gojun's mouth. The dragon king swallowed everything the kappa gave him, his claws grasping a bit tighter to Gojyo's hips as his body tensed and he, too, hit his peak, the hot fluid spilling up onto his chest to run in creamy rivulets down his body. With a breathless chuckle, Gojun released the kappa and sat up, his arms going around Hakkai as he shifted back and gazed at his Beloved through half lidded eyes. "Mm, I think you've come back to us enough," he said softly as he pressed a gentle kiss to the sweat-dampened bangs. "Gojyo, would you mind getting his limiters for me?"

The kappa arched a brow. It was the first time the dragon had addressed him by name, and it made him smirk a little. But then again, he had just had his cock halfway down the other's throat. With a nod, he tucked himself back into his pants, lit up a smoke, and retrieved the three silver clips from the dragon king's wayward pants.

Almost lovingly, Gojun slipped Hakkai's limiters on, holding tight to him as his body sealed away the powerful youkai side. He smiled a bit as he looked into the clear, but slightly pained, green eyes. "Welcome back. I'm glad you're safe."

"Gojun," Hakkai murmured as he straightened out his clothes as best he could and refastened his pants. "I...remember you. Somewhat. Some parts are still hazy."

The dragon's expression turned a little melancholy. "I almost wish you didn't. It's going to make it that much harder for me to leave you, Beloved. But we will find each other again. After all, the threads of our souls - the three of us - are joined together within the fabric of time. Such was our pact back then. Such is our bond now." He sighed heavily when he felt a presence behind them, and he turned to glance over his shoulder, glad that his duster covered his modesty. "Have you come for me already, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama?"

The bodhisattva chuckled. "Always to the point. I've missed you, Gojun." She approached the three in a swirling of soft silks, and she grinned mischievously as she trailed her fingers along Gojyo's shoulders. "I had no idea you could be so... _poignant_ , though." Giving the kappa a wink, she gave him a long kiss, her grin widening when his eyes widened almost comically and he slumped to the ground unconscious. She crouched down next to the other two, her violet eyes softening when she saw the barely imperceptible way the dragon's embrace tightened around Hakkai. "You're breaking my heart," she whispered as she gave the brunet a similar kiss, watching as the regent cradled the sleeping form against him. "You are right, though," she said as she looked into the reptilian eyes. "Your lives _are_ interconnected like a fine tapestry. Indescribably beautiful as a whole, and yet, if I were to pull out one of the threads, the whole thing would unravel in my hands. Life is achingly fragile like that."

Gojun bowed his head slightly. "Must you remind me of that fact, Madam?" he asked stiffly.

She chuckled again, even as she leaned forward to cup his cheeks in her small hands. "You misunderstand me. As much as I miss your company in heaven, I couldn't take you away from this. Your place is here, Dragon King."

"But the arrangement -"

"Let me worry about that," she interrupted with a smile. "When those two wake up, they'll have no memory of what happened here this afternoon, save for the ambush. And you - your burden will be to remember for them, returning once more to your other form." She let out a small tinkle of laughter. "If anyone asks, we'll say this was a trial run. Shh." Kissing him softly, there was a bright flash of light, and as it faded away, the small, white dragon hovered in front of her. "Take care of them, Gojun," she said as she released him. "Heaven knows they need it." Giving him a wink, she vanished in a soft aura of gold, just as Hakkai and Gojyo began to stir.

"God, what happened?" Hakkai asked as he sat up and rubbed his head.

"Beats me, man...I remember those youkai attacking us, and then nothing."

Hakkai chuckled softly as he got to his feet with a small groan. "Well, I think it's safe to say that our 'tip' turned out to be a wash, ne?"

Gojyo snorted as he lit up a cigarette. "What do you want to bet that Sanzo figured as much, and that's why His Holy-Pain-In-The-Ass sent us?" he grumbled as he exhaled in aggravation. "Bastard."

"Oh, do you really think he'd do that?" Hakkai asked, and then he laughed. "Well, maybe he would. Actually, it's quite probable." He looked around, and he breathed a sigh of relief when Hakuryuu flew over to him and alit on his shoulder. "Hakuryuu! Oh, I'm so glad to see you're alright." He lightly ran his fingers over the dragon's soft ruff, and he smiled when his pet nuzzled him and purred softly in return. "Yes, I couldn't agree more. Let's leave this place."

With a soft chirp, the dragon transformed into Jeep, and a few moments later, the three of them were on their way back to Sanzo and Goku. The dragon was somewhat saddened that the other two couldn't remember any more, but he was content to remain in their company and to carry the memories for them. One day, he would be able to tell them the truth. And when that day came, he would be only too happy to tie up all those loose ends.


End file.
